Life Lines
by fiesa
Summary: The war is over. Except when it isn't. OneShot- After the apocalypse, life goes on. Various characters. After the events of Fate of the Jedi.


**Life Lines**

_Summary: The war is over. Except it isn't. OneShot- After the apocalypse, life goes on. Various._

_Character list (because there are a lot of them): Part 1 - Seha Dorvald, Javon Thewles; Part 2 - Leia Organa Solo, Luke Skywalker; Part 3 - __Lynna Derr (OC)__; Part 4 - __Vestara Khai__; Part 5 - Han Solo, Allana Djo-Solo, Jaqeel Sav'etu; Part 6 - Ben Skywalker, Vaala Razelle, Yanthahar Bwu'tua, Turi Altamik, the Horn siblings and Masters Sebatyne and Cilghal; Part 7 - Jaina Solo-Fel, Jagged Fel; Part 8 - Luke Skywalker. _

_Warning: -_

_Set: After the events of Fate of the Jedi – Apocalypse. _

_Disclaimer: Standards apply. _

_A/N: For a guest who came visiting so many of my SW fics. Thanks, bec, for every review and for taking your time to read! I hope you'll see and enjoy this one, too. _

_A/N2: The last paragraph is a farewell to the Star Wars we - I - know. In many ways. Because I feel like with Fate of the Jedi, an era (or a chapter of it) has come to an end. If you prefer to ignore it, read until the last sentence of Luke's paragraph: May the Force be with us._

* * *

_Sheduu Maad, Hidden Jedi Base_

Jaina was beautiful.

Seha was no great romantic – but in every woman, she supposed, was a bit of a romanticist. The white dress was light and soft, danced around the bride like a shadow flame before the dark background of the _Dragon Queen_'s hangar. It was the perfect epitome: the Sword of the Jedi in a long, fleeting dress in the color of mourning and elevation, a flame to carry on hope and the knowledge that the apocalypse might have come but that they still were alive. The Dathomiri longhorns were silent now, and so was the crowd. The only sound that could be heard was the soft humming of the light sabers.

It was the first Jedi wedding ceremony Seha had a part in. She stood in the long rows of Jedi Knights, her light saber activated and lifted over her head in an eternal salute, and she felt the happiness and harmony that reverberated through the Force as if it was something tangible. To her left, Valin Horn was grinning broadly. It was good to see him like that again. It was good to see them all: Valin, Jysella, Yaqeel, Turi, Seff, Kunor – all the Knights that had been influenced by Abeloth were themselves again, no longer under her suggestive, destructive hold. And then there were so many more that were missing. Seha could see the sadness in Yaqeel's eyes, in the way she kept glancing to her right because on any other occasion Bazel would have stood next to her. Natua wasn't there, either, and so many others that had fallen defending the Jedi, retaking the Temple or fighting the Sith.

The Masters had planned this wedding meticulously, Seha was pretty sure. Not that they did not _want _it to be the wonderful ceremony Jaina deserved. Seha had seen her fight – she was the Sword of the Jedi really and truly, only Grand Master Luke rivalled her – and furthermore, Jaina had been promoted to the rank of a Master. If anyone had earned himself a big, fat party, it was her. But the ceremony had a different purpose. And if Seha could see it many of the other Knights were able to see it, as well. Not that it mattered. Because the ceremony on this day was meant to spread hope, to lift the veil of grief and mourning that had hung over the Jedi since their hard-fought for victory (it still didn't feel like one), and to show them there still were things to live for. As far as she could see, the venture had been a full success.

Jaina and General Solo reached the dais where Jagged Fel stood. It shouldn't have been possible but when the bride reached the groom and he extended his hand towards her the love and happiness in the Force almost doubled in intensity. Even the few non-Force-sensitive people seemed to notice. Seha saw Solo's grin twist into something painful that then widened into an enormous smile again, and the small family of Calrissians' to the left of Master Durron lifted their faces to the baldachin of light sabers and beamed in wonder. Their son extended his little hands towards the bride and groom and his mother hugged him closer to her and whispered into his ear. The atmosphere was clear as crystal, almost tangibly healing, and Seha knew it had been the reason every Knight available had been recalled to attend the ceremony. Probably even the younglings on the planet, hidden away in the safe base the Jedi had established, felt the warmth and love that hung in the air and cloaked them into a warm blanket of hope. It was as if the Force was telling them: _It will be alright, little ones. Everything will be alright._ And perhaps it would be, Seha thought, even though they had fought and struggled and had been hurt. Either way or another, every one of them here was broken, but they would learn to go on like that. And who was unable to go by himself would have others – and the Force – to rely on. Yaqeel smiled painfully, but she smiled, as Jagged and Master Solo-Fel kissed. The people applauded, hooted, yelled and laughed, and the Jedi held their guard of honor until bride and groom had passed the tent of gleaming light and made it into the arms of their parents and parents-in-law. The Masters stood and the Force reverberated around them as Master Durron lifted the violet crystal of union and for a brief second Seha forgot that they were exiled from Coruscant and that the scales were tipping in favor of the Dark Side, that Abeloth never would be fully defeated and that the day they would have to fight her again would come. There were still Sith out there, somewhere, and many people who needed their help so urgently they couldn't accept there were only a few hundred Jedi and a few thousand worlds. But she didn't forget that she was a Jedi and that they all would have each other, no matter what happened. For a brief second she was incredibly, completely happy, and so was everyone around them.

"Seha Dorvald."

The festivities had extended far past the actual ceremony. Even though Jaina and Jagged had left quite some time ago, the people still celebrated on deck of the _Dragon Queen II. _Seha had been talking to Turi and Kunor, who then had left to get themselves another drink. Which was why Seha found herself to be alone in a far corner of the deck, and was surprised to hear her name spoken behind her .

The Force told her who it was long before she realized she knew the voice and she spun around to face a light-haired, attractive man in simple, black formal wear. Blond hair framed a long, sharp face and a short nose; grey eyes looked at her with an expression she couldn't read. Seha's heart jumped into her throat and then sank.

"Javon Thewles."

For a while, neither one of them said something. Seha shifted uncomfortably and plastered on a fake smile.

"It's good to see you're not dead."

"It's good to see you without handcuffs and not behind bars," he shot back without twitching a muscle.

"You're still angry." He had every right to it, she knew very well.

"Actually, I'm not." Javon's face broke into a smile unexpectedly. It wasn't as roguish as Han Solo's infamous grin and not as farm-boy like as Grand Master Skywalker's could be on times. It was a smile just perfect for Seha. Surprised, she blinked. "I think I got a quite detailed picture of the on-goings during the time we first met," he told her matter-of-factly. "And while I liked my job, I was able to do much more thanks to you."

"Thanks to me you got arrested," she reminded him and again was surprised by a very heart-stopping smile he seemed to direct at her only.

"Thanks to you I've been able to see very interesting things," he retorted. "And I've been able to help people who needed me more than the Galactic Alliance needed me. Really. I think I should thank you."

"Please," Seha said and a grin spread over her face. "Don't trip over your feet. Would you like something to drink? I think it is my turn at inviting you."

"I think I would like hat very much."

* * *

_Ossus, Jedi Academy_

It was hard to ignore the dark waves of pain that still emanated from his Force presence.

"Leia!" Her brother greeted her with the smile she had come to know so well, the one that still revealed the features of a young farm boy from Tatooine. "What brings you here? I thought the _Dragon Queen II _would deliver Allana to the Academy, and weren't you and Han on your way to someplace?" He knew exactly where they were supposed to be heading, she thought. His arms were warm, as was his smile and his aura in her heart. But still she thought something was missing, something was wrong. He felt so fragile she almost was afraid of hugging him. One year after his final fight with Abeloth and Leia wasn't sure Luke Skywalker really had recovered as well as he wanted everybody to think, wanted _her _to think.

"Tenel Ka will arrive with Allana in a few standard hours," Leia told her brother and stepped back from his hug to look at him. At the same time she eyed his face she extended her Force awareness towards him. He felt alive, was filled with the same passion and love she had come to associate with him from the moment on she had met him. But there was exhaustion underneath the liveliness, and pain framed his Force signature. It still shocked her to see how much the last fight with Abeloth had cost him. Even worse was the fact that the pain still clouded him, even one year after the Jedi had thrown back the Sith. Luke, of course, felt her tender probing and smiled at her. His blue eyes were full of love.

"So you just came here to tell me to sleep more and take care of myself?"

"Can't I visit my own brother sometimes?" She shot back and threaded her arm through his. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. We're off for Blaudu Octus tomorrow."

"I'm sorry I dumped all those missions on you," Luke apologized. "The Council…"

Leia interrupted him by putting a tiny hint of pressure on his non-artificial arm she was holding. "You don't have to explain, Luke. We all know that the Jedi cannot be everywhere at once, and that the Council has enough to do as it is. The Octuusi need us now, and Han and I will do our best to mediate between them and their former owners."

She received a thankful smile. "It's never enough, right?"

Leia laughed quietly. "What, you still think the problems of the universe will solve themselves if you just wait and see what will happen? Not very wise, is it, Grand Master Skywalker."

"Former Head of State Organa Solo, it seems you always were the realistic one of the two of us."

"Which is why I am not head of state anymore," she retaliated. "While you still are Grand Master." Her gaze turned worried again. "Really, Luke, are you sure you have to do this? You haven't half recovered yet, and it has been a year. Can't the Council get along without you?"

Luke's shoulders dropped and for a second Leia thought he would agree with her. But then the ever-optimistic, strong light appeared in his eyes again. "It's my responsibility to hold my place until the Order gets along without me," he told her, and for it she loved him. "I can still help them."

"For how long?" She demanded. "How long do you want to do this? You almost died a hundred times before the New Order even was established. You fought the Yevethans, the Empire of the Hand, the Yuuzhan-Vong, the Killiks, and the Sith; and then Abeloth. And I'm sure there are a few fights you haven't even told me about." She lifted her hand to stop him when he tried to object. "And you know it never will end. It's the way of the universe. Dark against Light, White against Black, when will the time come when you accept you have lost far too much? The happiness of a universe can't lie on the shoulders of a man alone, Luke."

He took his time to answer, and it was the one proof she had that the boy she had once met on the Death Star was dead, had died a long time ago.

"You know it's not that, Leia."

"What is it, then?" She demanded. "Because I don't want to wake up one day and you're gone, just like that, because you finally met the one thing you couldn't escape from anymore."

"I'm not afraid of dying. And I know" – This time it was his hand that stopped her retort – "I know I should not act recklessly because of that. It is not that I want to continue on, you know? I just…" His gaze travelled away from her, blue eyes so intense she shivered involuntarily. "I can't stop now. I never was a warrior, Leia. Mara was, and Anakin, and Ben and Jaina are warriors, too. I am just a farm boy who was called by the Force." He exhaled. "And because I wasn't born to fight I have to do everything I can to leave behind something better. Jaina, Jag, Ben, Tahiri… They deserve something more than this place riddled with darkness and insecurities. We welcomed them to live in a world of darkness and war. The Yuuzhan-Vong, the Killiks, now the Sith… We have to leave them something better than that. That's why, as long as I can fight, I will." He turned his gaze back to her, and Leia saw the familiar smile in his eyes. "And I know you think the same, Leia."

Wordlessly, she stared at him until she let her gaze fall and shook her head slowly.

"Does the Force tell you there was some sense in your gibberish?"

Luke chuckled and tugged her arm against him tighter. Together, they wandered down the hallways towards the Hall of Fountains.

"Just promise me," Leia swallowed, "that you won't die before me."

Luke smiled. "I promise."

It was a lie, and again, Leia loved him for it. She wrapped her arm around his and drew on the Force in order to calm herself. Luke's gentle presence nudged against hers and she smiled.

"By the way, how's Ben?"

"Oh, you know… _Teenagers._"

"Well, not anymore."

"That's what you'd think."

* * *

_The Unknown Regions, on board of the Jedi StealthX JA-04x, code name: Songstress_

Darkness.

The vastness of space was full of it. Lynna Derr, Jedi Knight and female Ryn, viewed the black, star-speckled area that expanded in front of her eyes as far as she could see. She never had been afraid of the darkness, not when she had spent so many years of her childhood on board of merchant vessels and star ships. The next part of her life had been the Jedi Academy on Ossus. She had been knighted shortly before the Jedi who had been hidden in the Maw had gone on a rampage, before Grand Master Skywalker had been exiled by Head of State Daala, before the Sith had infiltrated the Galactic Alliance's Senate and before Abeloth's occupation of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Lynna had survived the war – it was more than she could say about many of the others she had lived and fought with. And she had been chosen as one of the ten StealthX-pilots who were sent out to search for the one thing that would be able to save the galaxy when Abeloth appeared the next time: the Mortis-Monolith. Which, in fact, was nothing more than a black stone-dagger filled with Force energy. And it was drifting through space somewhere between the Core Worlds and the Unknown Regions. Every time she thought of it she felt like laughing out loud: ten Jedi, sent out into the blue – correction, black – to search for something that probably had been lost for longer than they were alive. For a time longer than their combined lives, probably. Ten Jedi pilots, each of them with his own, unique abilities that made them best suited for their mission, and Lynna was one of them.

She was the youngest of them, too. At least she had been young when they had exited Coruscant airspace four years ago. She did not feel young anymore, not after all that time. She felt very, very old. It was said that Ryn knew the universe better than any other species because they had no own home planet, that their travels through space had equipped them with a unique knowledge of where they were and how to find what they were searching for. Lynna had shown her own ability at finding lost things when she had been a mere child, finding her way through Hyperspace to the hidden Jedi Academy all by her own. It had been a suicide mission, from today's point of view, but as a child it had seemed valid to her. Lynna didn't even want to think about what could have happened but at that time all she had wanted was for the voices in her head to stop, so she had gone on a journey to find the people who could help her. For years she had trained at the Academy, had learned to control her Force-sensitivity. She had found friends and met people, and although the longing that was engraved into her heart always had remained present she had learned to build herself a home. It was something Ryn did not do often. They were space travelers bound to neither planet nor species, roaming across the universe as they pleased. Nothing and nobody could stop them. Lynna had heard stories about Ryn who had settled down – there was a small colony on Naboo, as far as she remembered – but she knew that those Ryn, despite their houses and families and friends, would always feel the same tug she had felt for all her life: the silent call of space. It was like a song deep within her, a soft melody, sad and elevating at the same time. It was why Ryn sang, or made music in whatever way possible. It was in their blood. And here she was again, in the depths of space, searching for something that had been lost even before she had been born.

Behind her, her astromech beeped, a melodious string of notes, and the translation ran across her screen.

"Thanks, Triad," she said and wrapped her gloved hand around the control stick. "Falling back in three… Two… One… Go."

The feeling was familiar: the short pull in her stomach, the short loss of orientation as she dropped her StealthX back from Hyperspace.

"Full sensor check. Is anyone else here?"

The droid whistled a confirmation and information started to scroll down her screen. They were approaching the Avindia System, the gleaming twin stars rapidly growing in front of her. The moon Polus rotated around the sun, a grey and white, uninviting planet. It held one space port, nothing more, as far as Lynna knew. Anyway, this was her last stop before she would continue on to a slightly bigger system, she needed fuel and rations. _And a good, long sanistream, _she thought.

Triad pinged and the last droplets of information ran over her screen – it wasn't much. Lynna sighed. "At least nobody will interrupt us. Keep an eye open, Triad, wake me if there is trouble, will you?" Her droid whistled an affirmative, then a short text scrolled down in front of her. Lynna read the message and chuckled. "No, this time we hopefully won't get ran over by a Hutt transport vessel. You know, it has been some time since I made that mistake."

Without waiting for a response, she closed her eyes and drew on the Force.

When exactly had been the last time she had talked to another human being? Lynna wasn't sure. It was a lonely mission, this one she had taken upon her. It was not so much the darkness of space and the constant constriction of her StealthX that bothered her, not even the fact that she could go for weeks without talking to a living being. Or, at least, with someone who wasn't at the end of a com receiver somewhere out there. Lynna was well aware that she was fine by herself, more so than others. She didn't need constant company. It probably had been one of the reasons why the Masters had approached her with their request. She could have said no but she had known she was a logical choice. And she had had no reason to decline. Lynna was at home here, in the darkness of space, using her gifts and the Force. She wasn't alone. The echoes of the Force net she shared with the other nine pilots on her mission was there, somewhere, as soon as she was close to one of the others she would know. Until then, she would continue on with what had become her task the second she had looked at Grand Master Skywalker and had nodded her consent. What did bother her, though, was the fact that they hadn't been able to find anything yet. Legends and fairy tales about the Mortis-Monolith were one thing – actually finding it was the other, and four years after the beginning of their mission it still seemed as far away as it ever had. Had Lynna been any different – and had she had less trust in the Force and in Grand Master Skywalker – perhaps she would have given up long ago. As it was, she was sure the thing was out there, somewhere, and she would find it – or die trying. She was fine, she really was. She didn't need people around her, didn't need more besides her mission, more than her StealthX and Triad and the Force. She didn't need…

Sighting, Lynna opened her eyes and released a long breath.

"Nothing," she told the astromech and allowed herself a short second of disappointment. As always when she had failed once again, darkness came crashing down on her, drowning all her senses and making her feel small, insignificant and incapable. Drawing on the Force, she let the light float through her, bathed in the warmth and love that was the Light Side. Melodies flowed through her, clear and strong. "Anyway, what's the next stop on our list?"

The droid beeped, melodious, harmonic and reassuring; and the coordinates appeared on her screen. "Hey, thanks for that." The astromech had already calculated the jump data while Lynna had been in her Force trance. "Let me check on something quickly, then we can leave, okay? We're close to Talan's route, perhaps we can meet up with him." Triad whistled its confirmation melodically. Smiling, Lynna pulled the control stick and the twin suns disappeared in the familiar pattern of the Hyperspace. And she was back – darkness all around her, darkness and silence and the soft song of the Force, and a mission on her mind she was bent on fulfilling. She knew how much depended on it. Leaning back, she closed her eyes. "Make sure to wake me when we're almost there, okay?"

The whistling was the last thing she heard. It faded into a familiar melody as the astromech opened the channel she had reserved for music and the soft chimes of her favorite sonata floated through the small cockpit. Lynna smiled – half sadness, half contentment – and relaxed into the Force.

She didn't need company or anything else she didn't already have with her. Only sometimes, she wished…

* * *

_Somewhere in the Unknown Regions_

"Lady Khai?"

Hinato was young and strong, good-looking and with intelligent, cunning blue eyes. He was a strong apprentice and would be a good Sith one day, Vestara was sure of it. What she wasn't so sure about was the fact that she treated him just like she treated any other of the apprentices. Because while his hair was a dirty, brownish blond – nothing close to the idea of perfection she had been raised with, but she had long ago given up on the traditions of the Lost Tribe – he still had incredibly blue eyes and a smile that hid both mischief and gentleness. Of course, the latter was a trick. He was a Sith child, after all. But he was sweet, and interested, and Vestara sincerely hoped she had been able to teach these people what she had learned: that there was no use in betraying each other for the sake of betrayal alone. It was difficult, finding a way in between her own, abandoned culture, the one she had gotten to know for a short time – the Jedi traditions – and the traditions this small tribe of Sith still upheld. She struggled daily, trying to reconcile so many conflicting ideas. On some days she felt as if everything was useless. And then she reminded herself that she was a Sith Lady of the Lost Tribe of Kesh, and that, even though she never would be able to return home, she did not need the recognition so many of her – now dead – people had needed. They were dead, and she wasn't, and that was all that needed to be said.

"Are the Jedi really that strong? They do not believe in the power of the Force like we do, don't they? We should be able to defeat them easily."

Looking down on the child, Vestara frowned. The Jedi, as with any Sith tribe that would ever exist, were the arch enemies, the one thing in the universe the Sith were meant to fight. She should have known it wouldn't be different here. But for a second, she had hoped… Vestara shook off the unworthy feeling of disappointment, let it fade into resignation and drew strength from it instead. The Jedi were their antagonists, the Siths' equivalents. It was only natural to teach everything about them one knew because one day both sides of the Force would meet again, inevitably drawn to each other like the two opposing, strong poles they represented, and then only one side would emerge from the fight as victor. Vestara knew it was her duty to make sure which side it was. It was the task she had taken onto herself and _Ship_ to fulfill, even if it meant travelling between worlds and galaxies, never finding a place to settle down permanently.

"Jedi traditions are as old as the universe," she started, blinking at the bright light that the system's sun created. "As are the Sith's. Dark and Light, Black and White – it does not matter what names there are. There is no Light without Darkness. Where there are Jedi, there are Sith."

"If we kill them all," Hinato asked, "Will there be no Sith anymore, either?"

Vestara smiled. "That's a good question. One cannot kill Light or Darkness, as it is impossible to entirely banish the Jedi or the Sith. There has to be a balance kept. Somehow Jedi will survive if we raze them, and if the Jedi were to kill every single one of us, there still would be someone to continue on."

"So is fighting them useless, then, Lady?"

Bright, intelligent and down-to-earth, as any good Sith apprentice should be. "Fighting is never useless. Night fights Light again and again every single day. Life is a balance, and the scales can tip towards both sides equally. It is best…"

"…To vanquish an enemy today than to worry about what will happen tomorrow," Hinato finished her sentence with the age-old saying of his people. "But, Lady, we _should_ worry about the next day. Our plans and actions never should be directed towards the now only, shouldn't they?"

"Ah, Hinato," Vestara said and looked at him seriously. "And there is the problem, isn't it? The key to all your questions is balance. We should live in the today, but the yesterday and the tomorrow will influence our actions. It is up to us how much we allow them to guide us, or if we guide our emotions by the things we learned and still will learn."

The boy thought about her words for a minute. Vestara waited until he had made up his mind. "But the Jedi," he started again. "Are they weaker than us because they believe in weak emotions such as love and kindness?"

"Kindness is weakness," Vestara agreed. "And love is, and dedication is, too, in a way. Everything that binds us to others makes us weak. A Sith has to be able to detach himself from everything around him except for the Force. Only if we don't hesitate to do something that is necessary, only if we continue on without looking back we will be able to stand face to face with the Jedi. Honor does not matter when we fight them, or survival. It is a struggle in the Force, not between Sith and Jedi. We have to do anything to stop the Light from gaining power, but we will not be able to snuff it out completely."

"So nobody can win," Hinato concluded, looking unhappy.

"No," Vestara agreed quietly. "Nobody can win."

* * *

_In the orbit of Bothawui, onboard the Millenium Falcon_

"See this and weep," Han told his granddaughter and laid down his hand. C-3PO groaned, his metallic hands coming up to cover his photoreceptors.

"Mistress Allana, I told you you should not have…"

"Threepio," the Cume'da of the Hapes Consortium interrupted the droid coolly. "I did not hear myself allowing you to speak again."

"In fact, Mistress, you did not. I merely thought you were making what humans so often refer to as a joke, telling me to keep my mouth shut until the game was over. I have to say, what a strange metaphor, too, since I do not have what generally is called a mouth. It implies I have vocal cords, which, thanks the Maker, is not true. Otherwise I would…"

R2-D2 wheedled a message, his round dome rotating merrily. The golden protocol droid stopped short, injured.

"Oh, you ungrateful box of wires and silicon chips! Of course I know when to keep my counsel; I have done so often enough in the past! Really, Artoo…"

Allana shook her head and glared at her grandfather across the sabbac table. Han Solo looked incredibly smug, his hands folded behind his head, the trademark smile plastered right onto his face.

"I must say, it's good to see I still can best you at least in _one_ game," he grinned at her. Allana glowered back and put down her hand.

"I win at Sabbac as often as you do," she reminded him icily.

Han's grin widened. "Oh, I know. But winning against you is a feeling too good to just enjoy in silence."

His grand-daughter laughed, golden and red strands of hair dancing behind her, and Han was stuck by how much she had grown in the past years. Of course, Tenel Ka was a tall woman. Jacen had been tall, as well, contrarily to his sister Jaina whose head barely reached Han's chest. Now, Allana was showing signs of growing taller than her grandmother and looking at her was wonderful and painful at the same time.

The Jedi apprentice glared at Han accusingly and her hand fell down to her nexu that had lifted its head and was grumbling in the depths of her gigantic body. "Grandpa, how often did I tell you you can't be sad like that when Anji's around? You're making her anxious."

Han laughed, extending a hand and shuffling through her mop of hair. As her mother in her own youth, she wore it open. Allana was clad in the typical robes of a Jedi apprentice but without a light saber. That last detail, though, wasn't enough to hide the fact of what she was becoming and even if it ached Han to see his grandchild grow up, he couldn't hide the pride he felt at her sight. As the girl tried to squirm free from his grip and complained loudly, both were alerted to another presence in the galley of the _Falcon. _Jedi Knight Jaqeel Sav'etu, her red-and-gold fur shining in the light of the glow rods, stood in the corridor, her hands hidden in the folds of the sleeves of her plain robes. "Captain Solo," she said per way of greeting, and her fur rippled around her ears as she smiled. "Apprentice Solo." Both Han and Allana started to greet her when another Jedi apprentice rushed in. He was Allana's age, his dark hair tousled and his robes in disarray.

"Allana…"

He stopped short, his brown eyes taking in the scene before him, including the Jedi Knight looking down on him seriously.

"My apologies, Captain Solo, Knight Sav'etu, but, Allana, where did you put my data pad? I wanted to do some research on Bothawui's animal and plant life but I cannot find it and I distinctly remember you used it to…" Allana shot him a withering glare and he faltered, then a huge grin spread across his face. "What, you don't want me to tell them you've been reading the newest gossip on Felian Atur again? You were so excited when you heard he would star in the newest holodrama series – what was their name again? _Forbidden Love_?"

Allana had blushed scarlet to the roots of her red hair. "That's not _true!_" Anji next to her growled and lifted her head to see what was upsetting her lady, when she saw the second apprentice she sighed and placed her huge head on her paws again. Hadn't Han known Liam Stormchaser from Tatooine was his granddaughter's best friend, Anji's behavior would have proven to him that there was no threat coming from the boy in front of them.

Allana threw Han and Jaqeel a mortified glance. "I was just… I didn't… Liam, you son of a Hutt!"

The dark-haired boy grinned mischievously, his brown eyes crinkling at the edges. "Come on, admit it, Lanna. You are a sucker for good-looking, intelligent, handsome men… Oh wait, that _excludes_ the Atur guy, he has a brain as big as an Antarian pea."

Still beet-red, Allana took a deep breath. Han could almost physically feel her calming herself. When she opened her eyes again, she was still flushed, but the sweetness in her voice was a stark contrast to her words. Which, again, were only half as threatening when one saw and knew how to interpret the look in her eyes. It was soft, tender, and more than anything Han was glad his granddaughter had found friends at the Academy she could rely on and have fun with.

"Liam Stormchaser, open that loose mouth of yours once again in the presence of our teacher and my grandfather, and I swear the next time we'll fight I will beat you up until you're unable to sit for a week. On top, I will tell the entire Academy about the holo-image of Saiphia Greth you keep hidden away under a stack of robes in the dormitory."

Liam laughed. "You're right, you could beat my sorry ass from here to Coruscant and back again. And don't worry, the holo is gone. Now, seriously, have you seen my datapad? Because there has been a message from Hapes waiting for you at the com station, and I just wanted to record it so you can have a look at it later. Knight Sav'etu said we were leaving soon."

"Actually, we're leaving now," Jaqeel said sternly. "Apprentices Stormchaser, Djo-Solo, get ready to board the landing shuttle in five minutes. Captain Solo, there has been a message from the Royal Hapan Intelligence Service. Your wife asked me to tell you she is expecting you in the cockpit."

Allana gave Han a brief hug and kiss and darted off, Liam hard on her heels. He heard them bantering back and forth even as they disappeared in the cockpit. Han stood up and straightened his neck muscles with a groan. He was getting too old for this, he considered briefly, the bent position he had to take when sitting around the sabbac table was taking its toll on his body. "Why didn't she call me?"

"She wanted to, but I was on my way back here so I said I could deliver the message."

"Thanks." Han smiled at the Bothan. "I'll better hurry. Do you need anything else for your mission?"

Jaqeel shook her head. "We'll just be talking to a few important people about trade contracts and place some orders for the Academy. I don't expect any trouble."

"Why did the Masters send Allana and Liam with you?" Han inquired. "This doesn't sound like a mission on which they will learn much."

"Oh, Captain Solo," Jaqeel retorted. "Don't underestimate the Bothan nature and its tendency towards creating trouble. And even if nothing happens the Masters Solusar thought it was best to give those two a bit of a practice run. The less dangerous, the better, since especially Allana will have to learn to deal with a lot more than with boring vendors and delivery contracts."

"True," Han sighed as he gestured for Jaqeel to take the lead. "Well, Yaqeel, it was my pleasure having you on board. Thank you for allowing us some time to spend with our granddaughter.

"Thank you, Captain Solo, for volunteering to take us to Bothawui. What will be your next stop?"

"Actually, Leia and I planned on waiting until you were ready," Han responded and scratched his head. "We could use some time off, too."

The Bothan smiled. "It would be our pleasure to travel back to the Academy on the Falcon. I am sure Allana would appreciate it, too."

In the small bunk Allana occupied, Liam stood in the door and had his arms folded across his chest as he watched his best friend quickly go through their equipment.

"You think it will be a boring trip?" He asked.

Allana turned with one of her smiles that made his heart leap. "Liam, when has it _ever_ been boring?"

"True," he answered and followed her to the hangars, a smile of his own on his lips.

"Leia," Han said, back in the cockpit as they watched the small shuttle accelerate away from the _Falcon. _"Leia, why do they grow so fast?"

His wife chuckled. "It's not them, Han. It's us."

* * *

_Ossus, Jedi Academy_

The violet light saber cut the air in the exact place he had been standing a second before. Ben Skywalker summersaulted over his opponent, pressed down on her light saber with a small shove of the Force and brought down his own blade in a blue arc. Sizzling, the two blades of raw energy met in the air, scraped over each other with the one sound that was so characteristic for a Jedi's weapon, and then both Ben and Vaala jumped back to clear the area between them.

The Arcona Jedi grinned, an expression that left her face even more alien that it already was compared to human expression. Familiar with her, Ben knew it was a pleased smile. Vaala was enjoying their fight as much as he was.

He was distracted for a second.

Vaala lifted her hand and made a gesturing motion, as if to yank out a bar from a window, and Ben immediately threw up his hands in a defensive gesture, applying for Force to catch whatever she was about to hurl at him. And then she dropped to the ground, spinning on her own hands and using her momentum to drag his legs out from underneath him. With a surprised yelp, Ben went with the movement she forced him into, fell and caught himself and immediately stretched out his hands. Vaulting himself backwards he moved out of her range, his hand open to welcome the light saber he had called back to him. He did not waste time dropping back into a defensive position. His blade was a blur of color and movement as he wove a net of blue energy. Vaala danced back and he followed suit, closing his counterattack with a straight-forward attack on her weakest point. Her defense went down and he jumped at the opening, the training weapon discharging into his combat partner's side with a dull hiss. Vaala was driven back a few steps and she shook as the electric charge coursed through her. Ben raised his saber in salute – and a heavy sand sack collected with the back of his head.

"Stang!"

The second he stopped seeing stars he turned to his opponent, who was already up and grinning at him. Again, the smiling Arcona made a pretty disconcerting picture. "You got me first and then… well, you went all careless and victorious," Vaala said.

"She's right," Yanthahar agreed. "Your technique isn't flawless but effective, I can see where Master Luke trained you. Still, you tend to get…" The Bothan frowned. "I don't know how to say it."

"I know, I know," Ben sighed and rubbed the back of his head where a rather nasty lump was already forming. "It's not professional enough."

"You could say it like that."

Vaala stretched out her hand. "Give me that and let's go for a caf. I could use one now."

Handing her his training saber, Ben chuckled. "Caf, Vaala, really? For you, caf is just an excuse to imbibe enough sugar to keep an entire company of crechelings awake!"

Yanthahar growled, a Bothan equivalent of laughter, while Vaala dropped the training weapons into a cabinet at the end of the hall and sealed it again, then fell into step next to them. "I like sugar."

All of them laughed.

They hadn't yet reached the cafeteria when a voice called out Ben's name. Turning, he watched Valin and Jysella Horn approach, directly followed by Turi Altamik.

"Hey," Ben greeted the three of them. "You're back! How was the trip?"

"Don't ask," Valin said and rolled his eyes theatrically. His sister grinned at the younger Jedi. "Especially don't ask him what happened in the Mad Ronto on Woqua."

"I'm not sure whether I want to ask or not," Vaala said. "What _happened_ in the Mad Ronto on Woqua?"

Valin glowered at her. "_Don't ask."_

Jysella, Ben, Vaala, Yanthahar and Turi laughed. When they reached the cafeteria, Master Sebatyne and Master Cilghal, deeply engrossed in a conversation, passed them. The Mon Calamari master stopped when she saw the group, her fish-like eyes turning in Ben's direction. Waving onwards the other knights, she waited until Jaqeel and the others were out of earshot.

"Jedi Knight Skywalker," she said. "Have you seen the Grand Master today?"

Ben did a double-take. "I fear I haven't," he said and nodded at the Healing Master respectfully. "I rarely keep track of his whereabouts."

"This one meant to azk whether the Grand Master has shown any signz of having uncovered our schemez," the Barabel Master ventured. Ben was pretty sure that she would have grinned conspiratorially, had she been able to show such an expression. As it was, the feral grin was pretty much the same, perhaps with a touch more mischief in it. Ben grinned, too.

"I don't think he has any idea what we're planning."

"Good." Both Master Cilghal and Master Sebatyne nodded. "Keep it that way."

They continued on and Ben entered the cafeteria, immediately finding his friends seated at a table at the long end of the room. Vaala, Valin and Jysella already had steaming cups of caf in front of them while Turi sipped a beverage containing blue milk and Yanthahar seemed to have chosen a glass of Burshka juice. Ben lined up in order to grab a hot chocolate – he could see why his father loved it but he would never drink it in his presence, some things just _had_ to remain private – and slipped into the last unoccupied chair.

"What was that about?" Valin inquired, his brows melting into the beginning of his hairline. Vaala chuckled. "Let me guess. It was about Grand Master Luke's birthday party."

"Birthday party?" Jysella wore a matching expression to her brother's frown. "But Master Luke never celebrated his birthday before. Well, not big," she amended.

"He'll be sixty this year," Jaqeel said. "Not that it is a special number, but it is a nice one to celebrate, I guess."

The other Bothan at the table rumbled a laugh. "I never understood why humans have to keep such antiquated traditions."

"It wasn't my idea," Ben protested. "Actually, Master Cilghal proposed it and asked for my opinion. And I think it is a good one."

"It is," Vaala agreed, sounding far wiser than her actual age allowed for. "Not only because the Grand Master deserves a celebration – after everything he's gone through, and everything he did – but that the Jedi could use a celebration again, too."

"But we just celebrated Jaina's wedding," Valin protested and then looked at his sister, his nose scrunching up. "At least it wasn't long ago, was it? Let me think…"

"Five years, Valin," Jysella reminded him drily. "You're right, Ben. We could use some distraction again."

"_Five years_?" Valin seemed stunned. "It hasn't been _five years_. Tell me it hasn't."

"I know what you're thinking, and I agree," Yanthahar said, taking a long sip of his juice. His voice was dead serious. "Old people don't feel the time passing as young people do."

"You," Valin said and pointed at the Bothan accusingly. "You have _no_ idea what we've been doing for the last five standard years. Travelling from one place to another, putting out bush fires, helping former slave planets to set up a constitution, face-palming ourselves through the most boring senate meets ever…" He stopped when he realized everyone around him was grinning widely and collapsed back into his chair. A grin spread on his face now, as well. "You're right," he said. "I totally lost track of the time. A celebration is called for, absolutely."

"I'm glad you think like that," Ben said. "Because there are a million things that still have to be prepared, and try planning on a huge event without my father, the Grand Master, noticing anything suspicious…"

Vaala giggled, a surprisingly high and clear sound for someone who wasn't familiar with Arcona. "Something tells me we'll be needing all the help we can get." She sat up. "I know the Masters are taking care of the overall planning and the catering. What about the guest list, Ben?"

"We obviously have to invite Aunt Leia and Uncle Han," Ben started ticking off his fingers. "And Jaina, of course, and Jag. I wonder if Skye has grown out of his screaming fits yet? And then all the Masters, of course, and Lando and Tendra and Chance. How many Knights will the Masters be able to recall? Not too many, I guess, but Dad doesn't want it big, anyway. And then there are Wedge and Iella, and Wes and a few others, and Senator Wuul, perhaps, and a few other politicians who would be offended if their name wasn't on the guest lists…"

"Politicians." Turi's nose wrinkled in disgust. "The less one sees them, the better. Attendants and close family excluded," she quickly added as her gaze fell on Yanthahar but the Bothan merely cocked one ear in her direction in acknowledgement.

Ben sighed deeply. "Even Aunt Leia thinks so, and _she_ was a politician for more than half of her life. I still don't know how she survived without losing her mind. Well, we'd probably have to invite former head of state Daala…"

Everyone stared at him in shock.

"Relax, guys. I am joking." Ben wriggled his fingers as if to show them he had nothing to threaten them with. "I wouldn't invite her if she was the last being in the universe."

"But you could ask Head of State Dorvan," Jysella offered.

Ben sighed. "I guess we could. Would that mean we'd have to ask Admiral Reige, too? Stang, when did it become a political issue to invite one's father's old friends for a little get-together!"

His friends laughed.

"Get used to it," Vaala offered. "One day, you'll be in charge of the entire order."

Ben looked mildly shocked. "I'd rather eat lunch with Daala."

"Some things, Ben," Valin said and took another sip of his caf, "Are meant to happen and some aren't."

* * *

_En Route from Ossus to Coruscant, Aboard the Last Gift_

"He's asleep." Jag let himself fall onto the bed Jaina and he shared aboard the _Last Gift_. "Finally." His statement was accompanied by a long, suffering sigh, and Jaina smiled briefly. Then she turned serious again.

"Jag."

Hearing something unspoken in his wife's words, Jag sat up immediately, his exhaustion forgotten. This, he realized, had been what she had been hiding the entire day, why she wore this mixture of sadness and resignation on her face since she had returned from the Academy that morning. He had thought it had something to do with their new task, or perhaps with something that concerned the Jedi, only. But since she had not said anything he had not asked. Jagged knew, with the unique knowledge he had of Jaina Solo, that she would tell him what was worrying her as soon as she was ready to do so.

"What is it?" He took her arm, tugged her down to sit next to him. Jaina leaned into him, her head fitting against his shoulder perfectly. She sighed, again, but this time it was because she was tired and exhausted, too. For a second Jag wished they could just stay on Ossus, take some time off, live in one place like normal people did. Especially now that Jaina was pregnant again. Then he remembered who they were. Who _Jaina _was.

"She's Force-blind."

Jag froze, the implications of her words only sinking in slowly. "You mean…" He said, still blinking to adjust to the message. "You mean it's a _her_?"

Jaina smiled briefly, and he could see the happiness on her face, could _feel_ it despite him being unadjusted to the Force. He was _Force_-_insensitive_, after all, but very strongly _Jaina_-_sensitive_. "We're having a daughter, yes."

"Wow."

Jag turned her towards him, hugged her tightly and buried his face in her hair. "Wait till Skye hears he will have a sister. He'll be thrilled."

Jaina smiled into his chest, then turned her head up to face him. Jag was shocked to see the depth of sadness in her eyes, and the self-loathing that shone from her face. "She's Force-blind, Jag. Well, not exactly. She can sense it, but she cannot use it. It is… Like when you can feel the warmth of the sun, but you cannot see it. Like you are blind. She won't ever be a Jedi." Her shoulders heaved. Stunned, Jag held her closer to him and for a long while neither of them spoke.

"Jaina," he finally said carefully and pried her away so he could look at her directly. "But she is healthy, isn't she? She is fine otherwise?"

Jaina nodded, and a tear rolled down her face. "She is more than fine. Cilghal had a look at her and she says she hasn't seen a child that strong and ready to live in a long time. In fact she said she was reminded of Jacen and me, when Mum was pregnant with us."

"I am not Force-sensitive," Jag ventured on. "And your father isn't. Nobody would say we were incomplete or incapable."

Snorting, Jaina wiped away a tear. "Don't tell my father you ever mentioned the word incapable in the same sentence as his name."

"It wasn't exactly the same sentence, and I didn't use his name." Shocked as he was he still was glad to hear Jaina laugh, even when it was covered by a thick layer of sadness.

"It's not that I think she will be inferior, or less than us." Jaina looked at her hands. Jag loved them: they were small but strong, the perfect epitome of the Jaina Solo he loved. "The fact that she won't be able to communicate through the Force, that she won't have the training Skye and Ben and I had – it's not that. You know, it could be the best for her. She would not need to train at the Academy. She wouldn't have to leave us. But she would be in greater danger than we ever were, since she could not defend herself, no matter from what. She would be excluded from so much, especially since her older brother is so strong in the Force. It is…"

"You're afraid for her?"

"She would be very, very lonely."

Jag understood. Sometimes it was hard for him, as well, living with a family of Force-users so strong they had no choice but to do everything they could to help others. There had been times when he had wondered how it would have been had Jaina Solo not been a the Jedi – the Sword of the Jedi – she had been destined to be since the day he first had met her.

"But we're here," he said. "And you wouldn't love her less just because she never could be a Jedi, wouldn't you?"

Something bloomed in Jaina's eyes; a streak of protectiveness so strong he had no doubt this little girl growing inside her would be one of the most beloved children in the known universe. "Of course not." Jag was by no means Force-sensitive, but he knew his wife. It was written in her eyes, all over her face. "If anything, I would love her even more."

Because this girl would be the daughter that belonged to Jaina only, he knew, the one girl the Force could not take away from her. Leia and Han Solo had given their children to the Jedi, and so had Mara and Luke Skywalker and Mirax and Corran Horn. Even Tenel Ka only was able to see Allana every now and then. Jaina would have to give away Skye as soon as he was old enough, but nobody would be able to take away the little being that slept inside her: she would be her mother's girl, always, loved so much that perhaps she would be able to accept her fate. She would struggle, Jag was sure, because in their own small world led by Jedi the non-Jedi had a hard stand even when equality was a given. Jag knew, from his own experience, that normal people could feel insecure and inferior faced with Jedi tradition. Which only meant they would have to teach their daughter to know better, to be sure of herself and her own heritage. Jag promised himself: they would love her and teach her, and show her the world was a beautiful place. They would make sure she knew she was in no means inferior to her brother and her family; that she was a part of them just as much as they were.

"She will be fine," Jag told Jaina. "She'll be fine, because she has you."

She looked up, and there still was an immense sadness in her eyes.

"Is it bad that I feel relieved?"

Jag hugged her to him firmly. "It is human. And I love you, Jaina."

She breathed into him, warm and alive and small, and chuckled. It was a sad one, but a laugh nevertheless.

"She is lucky to have you. I am lucky to have you, Jag. You've given up so much to be with me, and I love you. Stay with me, will you?"

"I do intend to do just that."

* * *

_Aboard the Jade's Shadow, en route to Ossus_

A colorful sliver of hope ghosted through the Force, too fast to hold on to but undeniably there.

Perhaps, Luke Skywalker thought as he stared out into the endless space in front of the Shadow's view ports, perhaps everything would be fine one day.

_Fourty years ago, _Kenth Hamner had said as means of valediction, when Luke had been exiled from Coruscant and had met his order for the last time. _There was only one practicing Jedi in all the galaxy, and the Order and the Temple were just ill-formed notions taken from suppressed rumors. Today, what you see before you - this is your doing. _Luke still remembered, both because it was the Kenth Hamner he wanted to keep in his memories, and because he still thought the same he had right then. _Not alone._ He hadn't done anything by himself, had had so much help in building and raising what today was known as New Jedi Order. He'd made mistakes, and had suffered backlashes. But in the end, they had stood united: the Jedi. They had freed themselves from the GA years ago and were independent once again; free to follow the Force where it lead them. It was a balancing act, every day, and with the scales tipping so much in favor of the Dark Side Luke sometimes wondered why so many of his Jedi still stood firmly behind him. After everything he had lived through he knew he would never lose his faith again. But he had lost his way during his younger years. He didn't doubt a few of the new generation would lose sight of their aim now and then. What mattered, he thought, was that there would be others who would help them to return, the way he had helped Kyp, Ben had helped Tahiri and Mara had helped him, and there would be room for mistakes and for learning from them. Nobody was perfect. Perfection was not what the Force taught. It was about falling, and failing. About getting up and falling again, failing again, and failing better. It was about chances. That was what separated the Light Side from the Dark Side. Luke hoped he had taught his Jedi that much. He wouldn't be around forever, after all.

But Ben would be ready to take the title of the Grand Master, and Jaina already was the Sword. And there were many, many more who would help them. Who would uphold the teachings, live the way of the Force… The image of the white Throne of Balance came to his mind again, a grown Allana, her throne surrounded by friends and fellow knights. Was it a memory – or was it a vision of the future? _You think too much, Farm Boy,_ Mara's voice in his mind whispered reproachfully but her eyes were full of love. Luke smiled. What else was left to say? He settled with the thing that had defined his life.

_May the Force be with us. _

* * *

Grand Master Ben Skywalker lead the New Jedi Order through the longest era of peace since the days of the Old Republic, side by side with his cousin Allana, the promised Jedi Queen. Their time was an age of growth and happiness for the known galaxy. It also was the end of the days of the New Republic and the Galactic Alliance, and the advent of a new era. A new generation had grown to uphold the rights and values old heroes like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa Solo and smuggler and general Han Solo had fought so hard for to establish and protect. They surrendered the responsibility with good grace and without regret, and with no small amount of relief.

A new era dawned.

_Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away… _


End file.
